Headlight



Oct 16 c. A; JQNES HEADLIGHT Filed July 26. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEA/TOR Gaby-Q5 Q. 2M

{,3 Fm-we Oct. 16 1923.

C. A. JONES HEADLIGHT Filed July 26. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 16, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHARLES A. J ONES, 0F SEWIGKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

' HEADLIGHT.

Application filed July 26,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Jones, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Headlight, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a headlight.

One object of the invention is to provide a headlight having reflecting means so designed and arranged that the maximum amount of light is cast downwardly of the headlight and that only a small proportion of diffused light is cast upwardly above the headlight. A blinding glare is thus avoided upwardly of the headlight where it is objectionable and full benefit of the light is obtained by reflecting it downwardly upon the roadway or track to be illuminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a headlight having the above mentioned advantages which is so constructed that no portion therof need be a true paraboloid or follow. any other set curvature, and which ture resulting from the fact that the special reflecting means of the headlight may be modified in accordance with variations in the general form of the headlight proper, and that this form is not mathematically fixed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the headlight Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof; Figure 3 is a fragmentary section illustrating a modification in the structure of the lower portion of the headlight; Figure l is a fragmentary section illustrating a modification in the upper portion of the headlight; Figure 5 is a front elevation of the headlight showing a form embodying the modification of Figure 3; and Figure 6 is a front elevation illustrating a reflector arrangement which constitutes specifically a modification to the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2.

The headlight of the present invention comprises an outer casing 1 and lamp 2. which maybe of any convenient or usual form. The headlight also comprises, however, a novel form and arrangement of re- 1920. Serial No. 399,069.

flectorsfor causing the light rays from the lamp 2 to be cast downwardly, and to avoid the upward reflection of such direct rays as it may be impossible to direct downwardly.

The reflecting means for this purpose comprise a reflector 3, preferably in the form of a plate or disc, located to the rear of the.

lamp 2; and an inner reflecting casing l surrounding the lamp and extending forwardly thereof.

The rear reflector 3 has on its forward face a plurality of horizontally disposed angnlar reflecting ribs or corrugations Such ribs 5 are so arranged as to provide inclined faces by which rays of light impinging thereagainst are reflected either outwardly and downwardly or straight outwardly of the headlight.

The three upper faces 5, 5", and 5 are shown as having a rearward declination, while the faces 5 and 5 of the two lower ribs have a forward inclination. The angles formed by the faces 5, 5 and 5 decrease progressively downwardly of the re flector; the face 5= forming a greater angle with the perpendicular than the face I),

while the face 5* in turn forms a greater angle than the face 5. The more upwardly disposed face 5 of the two lower ribs forms a lesser angle with the perpendicular than the face 5.

The inclination of these reflecting faces relative to the light rays from the lamp 2 is such that the light is reflected at a downward angle, such angle in the case of the lower reflecting faces being such, however, that the reflected rays clear the edge of the reflecting casing.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a reflecting casin 4c of general frusto-conical forb surrounts and extends forwardly of the lamp 2. The lower half of the forward reflector is in this form of the device rendered non-reflective, as by darkening or roughening its interior surface, so that it cannot reflect light outwardly and upwardly of the headlight. The upper half of the casing is polished on its interior surface, and is arranged to reflect light from the lamp 2 downwardly and outwardly of the headlight.

In the form of reflector illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the upper. ed

ribs or corrugations which provide reflecting faces 6, 6*, 6, 6 and 6 parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the headlight, and connecting faces 7 between the reflecting faces. To the rear of the ribs or corrugations is the curved reflecting area 8.

The forward reflecting faces 6, etc., which are parallel to the central longitudinal axis of the headlight, obviously reflect light at relatively great angle, while the rearward portion or area 8 of the upper reflector reflects the light at a lesser angle so that such reflected rays are not out off by the lower nonreflecting portion of the casing.

The lower portion 9 of the reflecting casing, by absorbing light rays striking thereagainst, prevents any glare upwardly of the headlight.

In the modified form of upper reflector illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings, the ribs or corrugations are continued back to the rear reflector and take the place of the curved area 8 of the form illustrated in F igures 1 and 2. In this modified form the rearward ribs or corrugations having reflecting face 6, 6 and 6 areset at an angle to the central longitudinal axis of the head light so that they reflect light at a lesser downward angle than the ribs or corrugations disposed forwardly of the reflector. The angle which these reflecting faces form with the central horizontal axis of the headlight is increased progressively with succeeding ribs rearwardly of the headlight. Thus the reflecting face 6 is at a lesser angle to the axis than the face 6 and the face 6 is at a lesser angle than the face 6. A light stream is thus reflected outwardly and downwardly of the headlight in a manner generally similar to that secured by the form of reflector illustrated in Figures 1 and2.

In both forms of the reflector the depth of the ribs or corrugations decreases progressively rearwardly of the reflector so that the more rearwardly disposed ribs or corrugations do not screen those which lie forwardly on the reflector.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings the ribs or corrugations are continued throughout a lesser portion of the circumference of the reflecting casing, and areas 8 which present a smooth and polished surface intervene between the cor rugated upper portion and the darkened lower portion 9 of the casing.

Figures, 3 and 5 of the drawings illustrate a modified construction for the lower section of the reflecting casing. In this form the forward portion of the lower casing section is provided with angular ribs or cor rugations which provide faces 10 and 11 disposed at an angle to both the central longitudinal axis and to the vertical axis of the headlight. Rays of light from the lamp 2 will impinge against the reflecting faces 10, 10 10 and 10, while these faces will themselves largely screen the faces 11 from such light.

The angle at which light rays impinge against and are reflected by the faces 10, 10 10 and lO depends both upon their angle and their position relatively to the light source. In order that they may reflect light upwardly and rearwardly to the rear reflector 3, each of the faces 10, etc., is disposed at an angle a little less than a right angle to a line drawn directly from the light source. wardly face 10 is disposed at the greatest angle to the central longitudinal axis of the headlight, and that this angle is decreased progressively with succeeding faces rearwardly of the reflector. The angle formed with a line to the light source is thus maintained constant throughout this portion of the reflector. The ribs or corrugations de crease in depth inwardly of the headlight in order that the more inwardly disposed ribs or corrugations may not wholly screen the reflecting faces of the more outwardly disposed ribs or corrugations.

It will be understood that because of its 7 position relative to the light source, the portion of the lower casing section which sur rounds and lies adjacent to the lamp 2 would be inoperative in reflecting light rcarwardly to the rear reflector 3. This rearward portion may therefore be rendered non-reflectivein any suitable manner, as by darkening 01 roughening it. As shown, this rearwa d non reflective band or area is not provided with ribs or corrugations, as they would be useless in view of the non-reflective nature of the surface. Ribs or corrugations may, however, be formed upon this portion of the facing, if so desired, and their faces may be similarly rendered non-reflective.

If desired, the non-reflecting faces 11 of the lower ribs or corrugations may also be darkened or roughened, although this is a superfluous precaution as they are screened effectually by the reflecting faces 10, etc, from direct rays of light from the lamp 2.

It has been found that it is unnecessary that the ribs and their reflecting faces of the upper casing section form complete semicircles in the reflector. This is particularly the case when all, or the desired portion of, the lower section is rendered non-reflective.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, a seg ment of the upper casing which amounts substantially to a quadrant of the entire circle is provided on its forward portion with ribs forming, reflecting faces. A darkened or roughened band 12 is provided on the rearwardportion of the lower casing section adjacent the lamp 2. Obviously the darkened band 12 may extend throughout a complete circle or any desired portion thereof. In any case it cooperates with the rear re- It will be seen that the most for.

flector and the forward end upper portion of the casing by preventing an undesirable deflection of light to these portions of the device..

The headlight above described avoids the objectionable upward glare produced by headlights of usual construction, and effects an economy in illumination by directing an increased proportion of the light downwardly to points where illumination is desired. The device is simple and easy to manufacture.

A number of modifications, other than those illustrated and described, may obviously be made in the form and arrangement of the reflectors without departing from the spirit of the invention; and the scope of the invention is therefore to be restricted only by the limitations contained in the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In a headlight having a lamp therein, a reflector disposed to the rear of said lamp and a plurality of horizontal ribs forming inclined reflecting faces on said reflector, a reflectin casing extending forwardly of said rear reflector, a non-reflecting band in said casing adjacent said rear reflector, and a plurality of ribs on the forward upper portion of said casing having reflecting faces substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the headlight.

2. In a headlight having a lamp therein, a

reflecting casing comprising upper and lower sections extending forwardly of the lamp, a plurality of ribs on the upper section extending for less than a semicircle thereon, a segmental non-reflecting band in said head light adjacent the lamp thereon; a reflector disposed to the rear of said lamp, and a plurality of horizontal ribs on said reflector forming reflecting faces, the inclination of successive reflecting faces decreasing progressively toward the central horizontal line of said reflector.

3. In a headlight having a lamp therein, a reflector disposed to the rear of said lamp and a plurality of horizontal ribs forming incline reflecting faces on said reflector, the inclination of successive reflecting faces decreasing progressively toward the central horizontal line of said reflector, a reflecting casing extending forwardly of said rear re flector, a non-reflecting band in said casing adjacent said rear reflector, and a plurality of ribs on the forward upper portion of said casing having reflecting faces substantially paifitllel to the longitudinal axis of the head- In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES A. JONES.

Witnesses:

FLORENCE F. SCHWARTZ, Gnnrm W. ALSTON. 

